Anti-Muslim video can stay on YouTube: US judge (Lead)

Los Angeles, Sep 21 (IANS) A Los Angeles judge has refused to order YouTube to take down a controversial film clip, “The Innocence of Muslims”.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Luis Lanvin Thursday ruled that actress Cindy Lee Garcia failed to show that she would likely prevail on the merits of her request, despite her claim that she was tricked into appearing in the film, Xinhua reported.

The clip triggered violent anti-American protests in over 20 countries, and has led to at least 28 deaths, including the killing of US ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens.

Garcia filed a lawsuit to force Google to take down the video.

In her complaint Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Garcia claimed that she was duped into acting in the “hateful anti-Islamic production”.

She accused filmmaker Nakoula Basseley Nakoula of misrepresenting the movie at casting and during filming in the lawsuit against Google, YouTube and Nakoula, also know as “Sam Bacile”.

Garcia claimed that Nakoula “intentionally concealed the purpose and content of the film”.

“There were no references made to religion nor was there any sexual content of which Garcia was aware. Bacile represented to her that the film was indeed an adventure film and about ancient Egyptians,” according to the lawsuit.

Calling the film “vile and reprehensible”, Garcia said her voice had been dubbed in Arabic, making her out to be a religious bigot.

But YouTube owner Google had opposed Garcia’s emergency request. Garcia’s lawyer Cris Armenta said Garcia would keep fighting to have it removed.